The Hiss of Darkness Within a Heart Of Gold
by tubbataha
Summary: Harry leaves the Dursley's in the summer after 5th year after Hedwig is killed by Vernon. Harry life is changed after a shopping trip to get a new owl. not HBP complaint. Salazar will make an appearance sort of.
1. Something More

**The Hiss of Darkness Within a Heart of Gold**

by Tubbataha

**Disclaimer:** I don't claim any of these characters, just boring them to save my sanity for a little while longer.

**Summary:** Harry leaves the Dursley's in the summer after 5th year after Hedwig is killed by Vernon. Harry life is changed after a shopping trip to get a new owl. not HBP complaint. Salazar will make an appearance (sort of).

* * *

"Hello can I help you?"

Harry started and spun around from the cage which contained a small three tail fox which had previously held his attention to face the wiry old shop keeper.

"Um… Yes I was looking for an owl, for ah… mail." Harry asked stumbling over his words. The look the piercing shopkeeper fixed on him with pale blue almost watery gaze, was seriously unnerving him. It had an effect not unlike that of Snape's hard onyx ones, all though in an entirely different way.

"An owl you say" The shopkeeper said leering at Harry, but Harry held firm refusing to give ground by Merlin if he could face the greasy git every year in potions he would not be intimidated by this man strange eyes or no.

The man leant away from Harry a look of something akin to respect flickered briefly in his eyes before a neutral look fell back over his face. Then he simply raised a heavily scared to scratch the stubble on his chin and started to speak.

"Yes, we have plenty of those" he gestured to a series of perches back in the right hand front corner of the shop, that Harry hadn't notice previous when he entered. I really must work on my observation skills Harry thought to himself as he moved towards the perches.

"Pity though for a moment there I thought you had come in for something more interesting" The shopkeeper said clearly stressing the last word.

Harry froze at the shopkeeper's words but before he could turn around or even attempt a reply, the man sighed and began to move back towards his counter in the depths of the shop.

"More interesting?" Harry murmured to himself, whilst he observed the array of owls before himself.

Harry quickly narrowed it down so there were only two viable options left. It was a toss up between a large mottled screech owl and a smaller black owl. Whilst the shop did have a wide variety of different owls including a few snowy owls, Harry decided against choosing another pet that so closely resembled his former companion.

After a few moment more consideration Harry decided on the black owl, due to the fat that it was a fairly typical breed and colour there for would not stand out as much as Hedwig once did. However whilst it was suitably inconspicuous as previously discussed its dark blue eyes managed to give it a subtle air of uniqueness that drew Harry to it.

"A fine choice sir" The Shop Keeper busied himself getting the bird into its traveling cage.

"However if you were perhaps interested in something more exotic then this here owl; oh not that there is anything wrong with it mind you" He was quick to reassure Harry.

"Just that you look like the sort of person who could appreciate something" He paused apparently choosing his words carefully before continuing. "Something more, shall we say" With that he raised an eyebrow in a questioning challenge to Harry.

Harry stood in shock for a moment just staring at the peculiar shopkeeper assessing the possible implications of his words. He couldn't find any directly targeted malicious intent; there were hints of general discontent and frustration towards the world in general or more specifically current attitudes.

However Harry found that his curiosity was piqued and moved to the far corner of the shop to see just what these "exotic", "interesting" creatures might be. After all they couldn't be any worse then some of the creatures in Hagrid's lessons could they?

First there was a series of crates whose occupant emitted lowly growling and spitting noises as Harry skirted carefully past them. He had absolutely no desire to even consider owning a creature with claws or that made those kinds of sounds.

So he moved on quickly towards a row tanks on the back wall. They appeared to be filled with snakes, lizards and other creatures that appeared to vaguely resembled reptiles.

Harry attention was briefly captured by a multicoloured lizard the wouldn't have looked out of place on the page of a child's colouring book, however is eyes were drawn away to what appeared to be an empty tank. On closer inspection though the dust and grim a snake of the brightest green Harry had ever seen slumbered.

Mesmerized by the sight of the sleeping serpent Harry ignored the hissing of the other snakes and went to stand in front of the dark tank.

"Well it appears you do have interesting tastes after all" the shop keeper spoke peering of Harry's shoulder. "However I wouldn't bother with that one it has been there as long as I have owned the place, yet no one has ever been able to wake the thing."

The shop keeper looked thoughtful; for a moment then continued,"No that thing just keeps on slumbering, not even that snake speaker who came in about 20years or so ago."

Harry's head jerked around to stare at the shop keeper but the man was lost in his memories and carried on speaking without noticing Harry's reaction.

"Most disappointed he was. He was really interested in that comatosed creature. In fact I believe he stormed out hissing under his breath when he didn't succeed. Not a pleasant one that."

Coming out of his revere the shop keeper looked back at Harry finally seeing the shocked look on Harry's face. After a moment Harry shook himself and turned away from the shop keeper to the tank muttering under his breath.

"No I imagine he wouldn't be too pleasant"

"What was that boy?" Snapped the shop keeper.

"Nothing Harry said quickly.

There was jus something about this snake Harry couldn't exactly explain what it was but he felt almost drawn to the slumbering creature. His nose was now almost pressed against the glass and his hand by its own violation reached inside the tank to stroke the snakes head.

* * *

**AN:** Hope you like it I already have written more of this just have to type it up. Sorry its not more for now but will continue asap 


	2. Buy one get one Free

**The Hiss of Darkness Within a Heart of Gold**

by Tubbataha

**Disclaimer:** I don't claim any of these characters, just borrowing them to save my sanity for a little while longer.

**Summary:** Harry leaves the Dursley's in the summer after 5th year after Hedwig is killed by Vernon. Harry life is changed after a shopping trip to get a new owl. Not HBP complaint. Salazar will make an appearance (sort of).

**AN:** This one is for my friend Becks whom I miss very much at the moment and who told me to sit down and type this.

* * *

What possessed him to do it Harry could not fathom, however as he stroked the smooth scales to his ultimate surprise and horror he felt the snake twitch. His fingers froze where they were just above the green head. 

Had he just imagined that? If he hadn't how could he now get his hand out safely? As Harry was in little doubt that a snake with kind of that colouring, would indeed be poisonous. The aforementioned snake then let out a low hiss and slowly began to uncoil itself.

Harry quickly with drew his hand form the glass tank and stared at the now clearly conscious snake.

"How d'you do that?" the shop keeper shocked voice came out as not more then a harsh whisper.

"Do! I didn't do anything" Harry stammered his voice held a slight edge of hysteria. It was like second year all over again, why these things kept happening to him. Well at least the glass is still in place this time he thought remembering his previous encounter with a snake in captivity. That would of course be the boa constrictor at the zoo that they had visited for Dudley's birthday.

"Where could I be?" Harry heard the snake hissing softly. It was alert now and seemed to be keenly observing its surroundings.

"A cage!" it hissed angrily, "How did _I_ come to be in a cage?"

Not wanting to anger the creature further, however Harry felt that since he could speak to it he should at least try to help the poor thing. After all who knows how long the thing had been asleep, from the sounds of things though it was probably a rather long time. Therefore it was not surprising really that it was a bit disorientated.

"Well…You are in the pet shop 'Magical Menagerie' in Diagon Alley" Harry informed the snake. Harry wasn't sure why he described it that way, after all its not like the snake was going to know where Diagon Alley was or possibly even what a pet shop was. Those kinds of concepts did really translate well into Parsletonge.

"A pet shop" The snake some how managed to sound affronted despite the fact its emotional tone range was limited hissing.

"Yes Harry simply confirmed unsure of what else to say. The snake eyed him suspiciously before it continuing the dialog, It seemed to have regain its composure some what and now appeared to be carefully assessing Harry.

"I don't suppose _you_ would know how I came to be here do you?" The snake asked, though from the way it spoke Harry gathered that it wasn't really expecting him to answer the question.

"Well I am not sure, the owner here told me you were here when he bought the and that you have been asleep the entire time. In fact no one could wake you up before, not for the want of trying though." Harry answered as best as he could, but he was getting rather irritated with the snakes constant scrutinising of him.

"hm… I suppose I shall have to settle for that at the moment, though there is evidently more to it then that, but I doubt it can be discerned at this moment." The snake cocked its head and looked at Harry in a manner Harry could only describe as questioning.

"How is it that you can speak to me at all, you are not of Slytherin blood are you?"

"No" Harry said sharply blanching, "I am a parslemouth by accident."

"Accident?" The snake queried.

"Yes," Harry nodded "I am only a parslemouth due to a bad reaction to a powerful curse" well that's one way of putting it Harry thought to himself briefly, "a dark curse that was cast by Voldermort who incidentally is a true parslemouth. However due to the complications it left me not only with a scar but a little bit of his magics and talents within me."

"I see" the snake nodded sagely. At this point their conversation was interrupted by the shop keeper who both had forgotten about. The shop keeper was making a funny chocking noise and gaping at Harry.

"What did it say" he whispered to Harry, not taking his eyes off the reptile. Why the man was whispering Harry didn't know, it wasn't like the snake could understand what he was saying.

"Umm…he was asking where he was" replied Harry carefully.

"Huh" The man was obviously disappointed that it hadn't been some thing more exciting. "I suppose I should be ringing that up for you and getting the rest of the stuff you will need for it" The shop keeper was edging his way back to the counter, he was not comfortable at all with this situation.

"What? Why?" Harry Spluttered.

"Well clearly you'll be taking that thing with you; it is clearly yours after all."

"What do you mean?" Harry interrupted the shop keeper's speech.

Said shop keeper went on to argue about how Harry was the one it had finally decided to awaken for, he also informed Harry that there was non way eh was going to continue to keep the 'freaky thing' now that it was awake.

"No he is yours" he told Harry firmly "In fact I'll give him to you for free, you only have to pay for the extras." Some how he manages to make it sound like he was actually giving Harry the better deal. How he had managed to twist that round so quickly Harry wasn't sure, but he did know enough to realise he was most certainly getting the raw end of the deal.

Yet would having a snake be really so bad, at least he would have some one to talk to, it also looked as mentioned earlier fairly poisonous so it could end up working out as good protection. The real selling point however had been that he could stand the old man calling it a freak, after hearing such things so often as a child from the Dursley's he immediately sympathised with the creature.

This snake also seemed pretty intelligent too and of course there was the small matter of Harry being the one who had woken it from it however many year slumber. That had to mean something didn't it? Of course it did he was the bloody 'boy-who-lived' nothing was ever normal for him.

"Alright" Harry sighed "I'll take him."

This statement was rather redundant as the shop keeper had already prepared and shrunk most of the necessary items. So Harry turned back to his newest acquisition to explain the situation. He found the snake watching him alertly.

"You will be coming with me, is that alright with you?" Harry asked.

"Well it is better than staying here I suppose" the snake said imperiously. Harry rolled his eyes and moved his hand up towards to opening of the tank, pausing at the lip.

"Let's get one thing straight first. No biting, not me nor anyone else unless I say so" Harry addressed the snake firmly staring straight into irs eye to make sure it got the message.

"Fine" the snake hissed irritably, "just get us out of this place."

Harry nodded in agreement and lowered his arm so that the bright green snake could get on. It slithered up his arm and coiled itself loosely around his neck so that its head rested on his left collar bone. Thank Merlin it's a small snake Harry thought to himself as he went to pay for his purchases.

"Try to stay out of sight" Harry whispered to the snake before stepping out of the shop and back into the hustle and bustle of Diagon Alley.

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AN: Thank you to those of you who reviewed before I hope you like this one too. Please review any comments welcome! I will try to update soon. 


	3. For the want of a name

**The Hiss of Darkness Within a Heart of Gold**

by Tubbataha

**Disclaimer:** They aren't mine, I didn't steal them, I swear!

**Summary:** Harry leaves the Dursley's in the summer after 5th year after Hedwig is killed by Vernon. Harry life is changed after a shopping trip to get a new owl. Not HBP complaint. Salazar will make an appearance (sort of)

**AN:** Thank you very much to **all** the reviewers! I was really suprised by the response that I got but you convinced me to battle through this chapter which was desided mulish to write so this one is for you guys!

Oh and someone asked about pairs and such to be honest I really don't know I hadn't at this point for this to be romance but lets just say you gave me a couple of ideas but at the moment their is no pairs.

* * *

It was getting late as Harry wound his way back through the thinning crowds in the Alley towards the Leaky Cauldron. 

"One room please Tom. Somewhere quiet as well please, if it isn't too much trouble." Harry called to the inn keeper Tom once he had managed to squeeze inside the door of the small pub.

"Right oh" Tom called making his way across the main room towards the rather rickety staircase. "Fraid there is too many quiet rooms around at the moment; we're rather busy ya see." Harry nodded as he followed Tom thinking about the crowds of people he had seen in the pubs common room.

"Here you go room 68" Tom unlocked the door and let Harry in to the small room. "It's not much but I'll try n' see to it so that no one bothers you."

"Thank you Tom that will be fine" Harry nodded smiling at the friendly inn keeper he always did his best to help Harry out when he could.

"Right you are then, you get settled in and I best be getting back down stairs" Tom shuffled out the door closing it firmly behind him. Harry moved to sit on the bed removing his outer robe. Before laying down he let the snake slither down safely down his arm and curl itself up on the covers.

It had been a long day starting when he had once again run away from the Dursely's, but Harry didn't want to dwell on that right now. He was fairly certain he would have to deal with the events leading up to his departure and the ramifications of his actions all too soon. He hoped however that he might just have some small amount of time to himself and some peace before it all came to a head though.

Deciding his best course of action was to find a suitable distraction he rolled on to his side to face the snake, maybe he could find some more out about his new companion.

"Sorry I just realised I never asked your name before, anyway I'm Harry."

The snake opened one eye to look at him disdainfully. "My name, well I suppose you could say I don't have a name as such at present but I was once called Salazar."

"Salazar! As in Salazar Slytherin the Hogwarts founder?" Harry asked completely gob smacked, he wasn't really sure why any thing about this snake should surprise him any more.

"Would there be any other Salazar? The snake queried in reply. Harry could have sworn that if snake had eyes brows it would have been arched at him right now. In fact the look was similar to the one he saw regularly on Professor Snape's face he wondered if Snape.

"I suppose it isn't a very common name is it?" answered Harry.

"No" the snake replied simply. They both just sat looking at each other in the awkward silence that followed, until the snake finally spoke up again out of irritation.

"Now didn't anyone teach you how to introduce yourself properly _Harry? _I'm sure your parents didn't just name you Harry and leave it at that. I expect you have some second name and even a third one perhaps." Harry flushed red with embarrassment he couldn't believe he was getting a lecture on proper manners from a snake.

"My name is Harry James Potter"

"That's better," the snake bobbed its head in recognition.

The snake continued to speak but Harry no longer listened to what it was saying his mind preoccupied with an earlier part of their conversation, which caught his attention. The snake had said that Salazar had once been his name, but who in their right mind would call a snake Salazar, well except perhaps Voldie but he hadn't been able to get the snake to even wake up let alone name it. It couldn't mean? No, even in the wizarding world that would just be to outrageous, there was probably another fanatic who had named their snake after their beloved founder, right?

"Umm… when you said you were once named Salazar, you meant that a former owner had called you that, correct?" Harry enquired carefully. However he was obviously not careful enough as the snake was now staring angrily at him its black eyes boring into Harry's emerald ones.

"Owner!" No one has ever owned me and nobody will ever _own_ me, most certainly not you" It hissed venomously. "However, whilst I do owe you a debt for aiding my departure from that shop, don't be getting into that pretty little head of yours that this gives you any rights over me."

"No, No. I didn't mean it like that, sorry I didn't mean to offend you" Harry babbled trying to placate the seething creature. "I was just trying to find out where you got your name from" Harry finished meekly.

Harry wasn't sure what to do about the snake, was it really normal for snakes to act this way? Harry didn't think so; whilst he had spoken to other snakes of course he hadn't really had a chance to hold any in depth discussions with the others. So he therefore didn't really have any other experiences to compare it to. The thing was really rather touchy, Harry was already losing count of the number of times and different ways he seemed to have up set the thing.

"You are not very bright are you?" the snake asked mockingly "You do go to Hogwarts correct?" Harry just nodded in answer unsure were the snake was going with this. "Well then you are almost certainly a Gryffindor then."

"How?" Harry just gaped at the snake.

"How what? Not very eloquent either, definitely one of Godric's then. Rarely speaking before think, not particularly quick witted and always, always irritating" the snake sighed.

"What is it that you would like to know? How do many days of the week begin with T? How seconds are there in a year? No I think not; perhaps you wish to know how I it is I have knowledge of Hogwarts, as I am merely a snake."

Harry continued to just stare blankly at the snake, he felt like he had been doing that a lot but every thing this snake did just seemed to throw him off balance. Harry had come to the very definite conclusion now that this was no ordinary snake.

"Well by now boy even you must have come to see that I am not exactly your _average_ snake. That's not exactly true though as far as snakes I am a perfectly normal snake, a bamboo pit viper to be precise. As unmagical and ordinary as let us say, a pet rat might be. However when I wasn't a snake, I was a rather exceptional person if I do say so myself." At this point the snake paused to preen and to catch its breath.

"You were a man" Harry murmured "but you are now a snake, an animagus. Wait no if you were an animagus you would have transformed back long before now, you wouldn't have needed my help to get out of the pet shop."

"Very clever boy" the snake sneered. "Never the less your thinking is flawed for several reasons. the first of which being that you have not considered the fact that not wanting to reveal my form would be a very probable explanation for not transforming in the middle of that pet shop". Harry thought on this and found that he had to agree it was a good argument, especially if someone was unregistered like Sirius and his father had been.

"Further more there is also the possibility that I could still be an animagus yet be prevented from transforming to my original form, due to a curse or suchlike cast on me." Once again Harry considered this argument weighing up the positives and negatives before pointing out that it would be impossible to curse someone into remaining in their animagus form. This being due to the fact that the transformation it self was really a form of wandless magic, relying on the innate magic within the individual and said individuals strength of character to succeed. That said it meant that to bind a wizard to his animagus form would be far beyond the power of a mere curse and would require the binding of the wizards magic itself.

Harry and the snake continued on in this fashion bouncing possible theories and explanations backwards and forwards, each time the other find the flaws in their counterparts suggestion. Slowly their conversation wound down and they found themselves briefly sitting in silence, both seemed to have run out of ideas.

"Well that what really happened then?" Harry queried disrupting the quiet.

"To be perfectly honest with you I don't exactly know?" the snake replied somewhat sheepishly.

"After all that you don't actually know how this happened?" Harry laughed.

* * *

**AN**: Little cliffie here, he he evil I know but I hope this answered a few questions and created a lot more, after all what else keeps you reading. I hope to have the next chapter up by the end of the week but no promises hey. 


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